3Dwalkthroughs.com just became aware of a really innovative technology that is being developed to help navigate within 3D virtual environments. The technology called, CyberWalk is being developed by a team based at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany. CyberWalk is an omnidirectional treadmill designed to serve as a VR-capable movement platform.

The actual unit is a stiff, gapless, 20 x 20-foot floor and movement and feedback system that enables quick, fluid changes of direction. To provide the user with an integrated fully immersive Virtual World the CyberCarpet will be combined with visual and auditory input, supplied via a Head Mounted Display (HMD).

As the technology evolves, the Cyberwalk platform will surely get much smaller and be capable of being outfitted to service many different industries and applications. The possibilities of this technology are endless once it is perfected.

It will certainly be a lot more fun to do a 3D Walkthrough of a property by literally walking through the 3D environment…and much better exercise than doing it with a mouse. Look out Wii Fit.